The New Stone
by Keira Higurashi9
Summary: This is the rewrite of my older story, 'What I'm Not'. We all know that Prep Rally's can be boring, but not when the gate shows up and shallows you whole! Follow Bree as she's stuck in the FMAB world, which according to Truth is where she truly belongs. But, how much will she change during the adventure? And what is this black stone in her body. Is she a homunculus, or a new breed?
1. Opening Act

**OH MY GOODNESS GUYS HI! This is my Rewrite of 'WHat I'm Not' and i'm so excited for you guys to read it! It's been so long since I've updated anything, and for that I'm sorry. I'm hoping to update soon in the near future and get some inspiration. Right now, I have nothing sadly.**

 **I don't have many people to brain storm with, so how bout you guys! What scenario could get Bree to travel with the Elrics? I have a few idea's, but none of them extreme enough for her to have to travel with them. Please share your idea's down in the comments. The more feedback I get, the more inspiration I'll get so that I can update faster!**

 **Hopefully, with this being my senior year, I can do a lot more writing that I did last year! I also hope that I'm improving as a writer. For those who have read 'What I'm Not', I would love some feedback comparing the two! I love you guys .**

 **So without a further adieu, here's chapter one! Enjoy! (BTW, I only own Bree and the new POV as of right now :) )**

"Bree! Get up!" my mom yells as she opens my door with a loud click. I jolt awake, emerging from a deep sleep as a stream of light hits me in the face. Holding onto a fragment of the dream, I groan loudly to show my displeasure. But, as usual, she ignores me. I lay in bed for a minute before getting the energy to get up.

I roll out of bed, groggily getting my clothes and walking into the bathroom across the hall. I throw on the clothes I set out the night before and apply little makeup after washing my face. I wasn't one of those girls that takes thirty minutes just to curl their hair. As long as my hair is out of my face and is presentable, I didn't really care if it was in a slightly disheveled ponytail.

I take a moment to examine my face, seeing where I should put concealer on. My green eyes scan my face, pushing my dirty blond hair behind my ear to see. I scrunch up my full lips, turning my face side to side to get a better view. Dabbing a few drops of concealer on my button nose before deeming my face acceptable for the public.

I grab my phone and run down stairs; quickly grabbing my lunch box, breakfast, and my tennis things off the kitchen table. Thankfully, my mom gets these things ready for me before I leave. Which, I am immensely grateful for.

"Bye mom, I love you!" I catch her before she was out the door to go walking with her friends.

"Bye, have a good day at school. I love you," she says before closing the front door behind her. I check the time on the clock hanging on the wall. Ten minutes before schools officially starts.

"Dad!" I call, hearing booming noises coming from the back of the house. Walking down the hallway, I find him exercising with a DVD. "Dad!" I yell more loudly than before. His head snaps towards me, slightly startled. "I'm going, have a good day at work!"

"Ok, have a good day at school Sunshine. I love you." I grab the keys off of the washer next to the room he was in and open the door to the garage, calling to him the same affections. My brother probably already left to go to his college classes, seeing his truck gone.

I grab my tennis shoes off of the self and quickly tie them up, opening the garage door as I do so. Walking outside, I head towards the small SUV that was my car that I had the privilege of driving. It was nothing fancy, not a clunker and not a super nice car. It was somewhere in between the three, but my parents were the ones that actually owned it.

My street was fairly quiet, line with houses of all shapes and sizes. Looking around outside, I realize it was snowing. Big flakes swirl down and covered the land in white. That was weird to have snow in April. But strange weather always happens in Colorado so I disregard my observation. I start the car, letting it warm up as I search for a decent radio station that is playing a song that I could sing to. Once I did and the car was warmed up, I start to head to school.

The day mainly consists of tedious classes. Sure, some classes I actually like and I enjoy being in them. But there was some that I kept looking at the clock to see how many more minutes I had to endure. There were moments in a class where something funny was said or someone's actions were ridiculous. I had lunch in the band room, not really wanting to go out to eat and to mess around with my underclassmen friends.

Today, we were having the pep rally at the last thirty minutes of school. And I was going to be recognized for being on varsity tennis. They'll call my name and I'll run around the gym for all to see. My heart was flittering like a bird at the thought of being recognized, knowing exactly where I was going to throw my bundle that was a school shirt. They told me to stay outside of the gym doors and wait for my name to be called. I keep my hands busy by picking at the shirt, excitement filling my legs as I move around. There is no way to stay standing still for me, I always have to be moving. A lot of my friends comment on this trait.

They told me to wear something tennis. I was not wearing our uniforms, which consist of tank tops and miniskirts, that was for sure. So, I thought about wearing what I would wear to practice. I was positive that athletic shorts were ok, especially if they were primarily black with orange highlighting them. (By the way that's our school colors) Then, every year we order school tennis shirts, sweats, and jacket for the season. So, I was wearing a black long sleeve shirt that had our school name on the back, a tennis ball, and my name running down one of the sleeves. Then, obviously, I wore tennis shoes on my feet with my hair in my ponytail. The nice thing about this is that I don't have to change after the rally for tennis practice.

The gym quiets down as I hear our Student Body presidents introduce themselves and get the rally going. They say a few words until they let one of the police officers take the mic and start talking. I didn't bother talking to any other athletes around me. Most of them I didn't know and my fellow tennis players weren't the nicest people in the school. They mostly gossiped about some girl I didn't know and kept to themselves, which I was totally fine with. I wasn't into the whole gossiping thing anyway.

That's when they started calling out the names, the athletes outside of the gyms doors start to dwindle rapidly as I could hear people trying to get their attention in the bleachers. Then, they call my name and my heart leaps into my throat.

"Now, our tennis 3 doubles varsity player, Bree Hollingsworth!" With my hands sweaty, I jog out around the perimeter of the gym. People were yelling at me to throw my bundle towards them, especially the seniors and juniors. But I had a specific place where I was going to throw the prize. Right above the junior section of the gym stood the Marching Band people.

I've done Marching Band ever since I got to High School and let me tell you, its really helped me out these past two years. I could get really awkward around people I don't know and most of the time they would just pretend I wasn't there. Which I was totally fine with. But then, my brother told me how much fun band was and how it made his senior year great. But I've never been in band, only choir and could play the piano on my own. It was a really big change for me, but it was for the better. Most of my friends in high school are in band and they helped me with a lot of class work that I didn't understand. And I love making music with them, painting a picture in silence with sounds.

So, of course I would throw my bundle up to them. Most of them were out of their seats and calling out to me. I could hear a lot of my nicknames they came up for me and were waving their arms. I wind my arm back and threw the cloth as hard as I could. One of the saxophone players catches it and yells in triumph. I laugh as I run through the tunnel the seniors made up at the end.

Immediately, I make my way up to the band section to play me some cymbals. A goofy smile adorns my lips as I walk up the bleachers, seeing my section making space for me to sit down.

"Hey Bree, here's your cymbals!" Abby exclaims, holding out a pair to me as she balances her own on her lap. She was one of my favorite people in my section, always so cheery and smiley.

"Thanks Abs, appreiciate it," I smile back to her, feeling someone kneeing my back. Turning in my seat as I set the cymbals firmly on my lap, I look up to Blake. He was the tallest and boniest kid I have ever met, but at least we shared the same sense of humor.

"What?" I ask, my eyebrow raised.

"You're going to get a big head," he flicks my forehead playfully, me glaring at him.

"No I'm not," I pout at him, rubbing the spot on my head.

"I don't think she could even if she tried," Relena, a meaty girl with dark skin and the sassiest ego you will ever meet, says in my defense as she slings an arm around my shoulders. Abby and I giggle as we watch their heated glares, covering our mouths as to not to be too noisy. The Class Reps come back out to thank the couches and stuff. Yadda yadda yadda, I was too busy trying to poke Blake in the side to make him squirm like a fish.

Suddenly, all the lights went out. The gym was pitch black and only the dim light from outside streak parts of the gym. Some girls scream, but mostly we all gasp. I look around in confusion, had the snow knocked out the power? Or did the snow leak into the electrical box? Probably just a hiccup; nothing to really worry about. That is, until there was a resonating boom that sent shivers up my spine. Something was wrong, the atmosphere didn't feel right. And that's saying something in any school. Then the lights suddenly flicker on.

But…what was that in the middle of the gym?

Is that…

The Gate?

I look around the gym, and see most people were bewildered. A few people actually knew what it was, looking at it with mouths agape and frozen in their seats.

"What the heck it that?" Relena whispers, looking around at us for some answers.

"I think that's the Gate…" I trail off, giving Blake a look. He knows what it is, and from the look on his face, he's more shocked than I was.

"The what?" Abby asks.

"It's from an anime… maybe they did this on purpose? Like its part of the rally?" I suggest. I still had a bad feeling about it. I look over to the student body presidents, and they looked confused just like everybody else. Then the Gate opens, revealing black hands, whispers, the eye.

And the eye was looking straight at me.

Black hands shoot out and start to wrap around my waist and limbs, so fast that I didn't have any time to think before they had their hold on me. A scream rips past my lips as they lift me up out of the bleachers, pulling me in. There was a registration of feeling warm hands trying to pull me back, but I was too lost in the way the cold ones hold me. I struggle the best I can with screams and jerks, but they had an unbreakable grip on me. I fly into the air, the last thing I saw was the old bleachers and my friends looking after me in pure terror before the gate swallows me up in blackness.

(New POV)

It was so cold and dark in this place. Where am I? How long have I been here? I don't remember much, everything in my world was a black nothingness. I couldn't tell if I was in it, or if I was it. Had it always been like this? A place that held a black void that whispers indistinguishable things to me? Floating aimlessly for time and all eternity? Time doesn't exist here, I know that. At first, when I was conscious enough, I tried twist and jerk away from those cold hands. But now, I let my mind wonder as if I was dead. Is this death?

There was a loud sound, making the whisperings frantic as a light shines somewhere far away. I shield my face from it. What is that? Something opposite of dark I suppose. There was a pushing sensation that washes over me, my body not resisting as the light draws closer and closer. Again, I wonder where I am to be in such a place.

The light engulfs me as I suddenly stand on solid ground, my legs shaking so bad that I fall to my knees. Looking around myself, all I saw was white that stretched far beyond the horizon. If there was a horizon. A large door stands behind me, making me wonder what was holding it up since I could clearly see that it was floating in midair. There was this déjà vu sense that I was getting, but I couldn't put my finger on it. I narrow my eyes at the grey door, hoping it would give me some answers. I got none.

"Hello again," was that one person, or multiple? Trying to turn myself around to face whoever had spoken, I fall on my butt to the ground. Standing over me, was… something. From one look at it, I knew it wasn't human, even if its form did take on a human appearance. But this was white, save for a dotted black outline. It was like a blank slate, waiting for someone to draw in its features.

"Again?" I ask, my voice dry and cracking. How long has it been since I've spoken? It cocks its head to the side, before snapping its fingers.

"Oh, you don't remember." It says, coming to squat in front of me. My body trembles, feeling the need to get away. But I was frozen to the spot. What was this creature standing in front of me? "The Gate must've decomposed your memory over time. I can fix that," It touched my forehead, things suddenly flashing before my eyes.

It was like it opened something in my brain, things flooding into my mind. My memories. My childhood. My friends. My house. My siblings. My favorite things. My dislikable things. My personality. My parents.

My parents.

And their death.

That night that was covered in blood.

My rage that stretched on into oblivion.

My end.

I wanted to scream at Truth right then and there as everything floods back to me, the painful memories that wash over my senses till I became numb. Everything bad that's happened to me, those who were ripped away, was all because of the creature standing in front of me. A feral growl escapes my lips as I lunge towards it, ready to strangle the creature.

But my body stops, frozen in place as a grin spreads across its features. Why can't I move?! I'm not frozen in fear, that much is for certain. It has to be from an outside force. The only one present is Truth itself.

"Oh no, we can't have any of that." It says, coming to my eye level. "I need you for something, and you're going to help me." I scoff at it, trying in vain to move. I will not be bossed around by the likes of it.

"Like I'm going to help you after what you did to me," I hiss, straining my muscles to move.

"Oh, but you will," It sneers, hearing the Gate open behind me. I didn't dare look back in the darkness, being sick of it. Unexpectedly, the hands didn't come out to pull me in, there were things coming out. Black wisps of people float out, creating a circle around the two of us. My eyes stray to each person, not being able to identify their faces. There must've been over a thousand of them, maybe more.

"What-what is this?" I ask, my voice steely as it grins down at me. My body shivers at the sight.

"All these souls are of people who were consumed by darkness in their life," it explains, coming face to face with me. "Anger, hate, betrayal, envy, bitterness; you are familiar with these emotions, correct?" Of course I was, but why does that matter now?

"Cut the crap, Truth," I sneer, still struggling against the invisible hands, "Tell me what's going on!" His smile falters, slowly turning into a frown. Anger boils under my skin from just looking at it.

"I thought you would've figured it out by now," it says, slightly annoyed with my ignorance. "I'm creating a stone."

"The Philosopher Stone?" my heart thuds against my chest at the unpleasant memories the stone has brought me. That would explain all of these souls here, including mine. But why would Truth, with all of its power, want to create a stone?

"No, no. It's not that," it waves its hand dismissively at me. "The Philosopher Stone is just raw power from human souls. But, I can take human emotions and turn that into more efficient energy."

"But why? What would you gain out of creating something like this?" If this stone was more powerful than the Philosopher Stone, what does it have in store for this? If it went down to the mortal world, who knows what would happen.

"Entertainment," It smirks, "I'm sending a girl from the other dimension down to your world, and she will harbor this new stone in her body."

"So in other words, she's going to become a Homunculus. You're going to take yet another life and ruin it!" I scream, giving up trying to break free of its hold on me.

"Not quite, it's only a homunculus if they are infused with a Philosophers Stone. She'll have the same qualities as the Homunculus, but she'll be more… _refined_ than the others." It explains, stepping away from me and holds out its arms. "And, I'm not going to ruin her life. She has no future in her world, but she will in yours."

"Bull crap!" I shout, not believing in a word it says. A lot of people think they don't belong in their world. But in the end, they carve their own slice of life and live with it. I've seen it multiple times in my life, what would make one girl so special?

"Guess you'll just have to see for yourself, Cassandra Savage. Or, as you will be called, Anger.

Black light erupts from its arms as the wind picks up around me. My soul flies towards the source of the light, pressure building around me as I scream for it to stop. But it never did, that is, until the deed was complete.

(Bree POV)

I wake up in the white void that's the passage between worlds. There's literally nothing. No smell, nothing to touch and I didn't even know if I'm floating or if I'm actually on ground. Looking around frantically, I find the large floating Gate behind me.

"Wh-where…?" I breathe, knowing exactly where I was but not being able to accept it. I have to be dreaming, it was the only logical explanation to this. "I'm dreaming, I'm dreaming," I chant to myself. Squeezing my head in between my hands, I close my eyes as I try to imagine myself back in the gym. This can't be real, even if it was staring at me straight in the face.

"Hello," a sly, inhuman voice calls out. I shake my head, otherwise not moving from the position I was in.

"You're…You're not real," I mumble, taking a peek at the thing. It was completely white, save for the black outline if it's body to make known it's presence. No eyes, no definable features, but a mouth that was ginning at me with overly large teeth. If this is what you saw when you die, no wonder people believe in the devil.

"Then what will you do? Chant to yourself lies?" he smiles, noticing one of its hands was holding something. It was too small to protrude from its hand, hiding it slightly behind its body. What is that?

"What do you want with me?" I ask, slowly letting my arms fall limply to my side. For some reason, I wanted to run if I had to. Like the fleeting feeling you get when you see a bad accident. The only word that was important was _run_.

"I want to play a game," he answers simply, his smile never leaving his face. It was unnerving. "And don't worry, I'm the one that brought you here so there's no payment required." That didn't make me less on edge, it makes my body hum with adrenaline. There was always a payment in coming here, and it saying that there is none is terrifying. What kind of game is it this?

"A game?" I ask, confused as to what he could be talking about. _This wasn't in the show…This wasn't in the show!_ Panic grips my chest and gives it a tight squeeze. I know I've read fanfictions about this sort of situation, and the explanation wasn't always enjoyable.

"Yes," Truth holds out his hand, letting it open as black matter flies towards me; imbedding itself into my body. Anger floods through me, raw and dangerous as it absorbs into my body. I heard my heartbeat in my ears, my breaths becoming rapid. With a shout of pain, I fall to my knees as I realize what this feeling was. Terrified. This fury terrifies me, feeling it spreading throughout my body like a poison.

"What…" I whimper, trying to hold back sobs that were closing my throat.

"This is just to make the game more interesting." Truth smiled, more wide that usual.

"What… is this game?" I breathe, trying to control these feeling that were ready to burst out of my body.

"This is a new game that I have started, it's getting too dull in both worlds."

"So this game, it's taking people from another world and putting them in another?" I mutter, noticing a headache starting to form.

"What does that world offer you? Being picked, you are offered so much more than you would have back in your home." His face never moves from that freaky grin and it was making my anxiety more and more extreme.

"Like what? Because from my point of view, I don't see anything in it for me." I clench my hands, my heels lifting slightly from the ground so that I could run. I don't know where I would run to in this white nothingness, but as long as I could get away to give myself some time to think I would give it a chance. Suddenly, it throws its head back in laughter and the sound fades off into nothing.

"This game is going to be interesting! I'll have fun as I watch you make something of this new world. You'll probably be the showing me what a pitiful human being you are!" He exclaims as its grin almost reaches its ears.

The Gate opens once again, its hands reaching out like mist to take me away. I struggle as much as I can, but I knew it was no use as the hands have a vice grip on my body. I scream at the effort of trying to free myself, not caring that Truth was watching my pathetic struggling. They lift me effortlessly in the air, me straining to move my body away from their cold hands.

"We will meet again human, just you wait," Its smile was the last thing I saw before the Gate closes with a thunderous boom.

Out of nowhere, there was a blinding white light that surges towards me. Images of my past rush past me in ribbons. I half expected to see all the knowledge in the world, however I never saw it. It wasn't a head splitting sensation, more like a nauseous feeling in my stomach. Vertigo fogs my mind as I spin endlessly in a fall.

 **Please give me some feedback in the magical box below, I really appreciate it! /(^-^)/**


	2. Pryley's Murderer

(Bree's POV)

When I finally come to, something warm caresses my cheeks and neck. There was rustling above me and birds chirping somewhere off to my right. Hey, there aren't supposed to be birds in the gym. And, it's supposed to be snowing outside why would it be so warm?

Cautiously, I open my eyes. Different hues of greens sparkle overhead, the sun poking in between them to rest on my body. Grass pricks my arms and neck from under me as a breeze plays with my hair. Dimly, I stare at the tree canopy for a while as I try to fit the pieces together.

I'm sure I was at a pep rally at my school. It was snowing today and I got announced for spring sports. The power went out for some reason or another when I sat with the band. Then...

Oh, that's right. The gate swallowed me and I saw the Truth just a moment ago, who put some weird stuff inside my body for some reason or another. So that means I must be in Amestris right now…

I bolt up from my laying position, wildly look about myself. I just saw the _Truth_ and I'm in _Amestris._

But hold up, I don't actually know I'm in Amestris. That could've been some crazy dream I had. I could still be in a dream for all that I know. I have to find a town or city, just to confirm it. I'll see what I need to do from there.

With shaky legs, I stand to take a better look around. These are the things that I have confirmed. One, I'm in a forest. Mountains peaks peek out in between the trees and it seems like it slopes down into a valley. Two, there are no roads or pathways for me to follow. But there was more than enough space in between the trees so I can make my own path to where ever I decide to go. Three, I don't have anything but the clothes on my back. Which aren't precisely my hiking wardrobe preference. And four, I'm really hungry. The gnawing in my stomach was starting to get on my nerves.

Alright, if I start heading down, there might be a town or something in the valley. If not, valleys sometimes have rivers that I can follow. And with water comes people. Either way, I can't be _that_ far away from a town… Can I? Great, now the monster of doubt is trying to give me a reality check.

Come on Bree, think positive! I plaster a smile on my face and start to skip down towards the valley, trying to act optimistic. Things could be worst…I could've been in the scorching desert. I HATE the heat. And deserts come with snakes. Gross. So, I should be happy I woke up in a forest like this. It's my favorite terrain to be in! There we go Bree, now we're on a joyful roll! But, again, the monster bares it's fangs towards me.

 _What if there is no one down there?_ It snarls. My skipping slows down to a walk.

 _And you have to walk mile after mile just to find someone to help you?_ My smile slips to a concern frown.

 _And even if you get that far, you don't know what's out here, or what could happen before you reach civilization._ My heart rate speeds up till it was the only thing I could hear. With frantic eyes, I look around myself again for who knows what. I take in the scenery, expecting to see a flash of something running. Or a snarl. Or smell something feral.

There's probably cougars and bears out here, maybe even wolves. I know how to defend myself against them, all I have to really find is a heavy duty stick. I wish I had some sort of knife or maybe a gun. That would make me feel a lot better. Oh! There's a stick!

I scurry over to the base of a tree, the leaves crunching under my tennis shoes. I snatch up my prize, seeing it was a little too short for my tastes. Oh well, it's better than nothing. If I see a better stick, then I'll just trade it out.

And with that happy thought, I continue my journey downhill.

(3rd POV)

Pryely was a nice, quiet town in the western region of Amestris. But was more in the North, condemning the townsmen to the biting winds in the winter time. But in the other three seasons, it was a wonderful place. The town being located in a valley gave you a panorama view of the snowcapped mountains, surrounding the town in a memorizing way. People from all over Amestris come up for vacation and to taste the sweet air. I guess you can say it was a resort town of sorts that had nice hotels and cute gift shops.

But lately, it hasn't been the perfect vacation place for a few months.

"Did you hear about Gary Mortenson? Found him dead at the boulder field on Norcross Mountain!" a lady in her mid-thirties exclaims to her woman companion, who in return gasps.

"Oh dear! Was it an accident or…" the second woman trails off, not wanting to confront this topic in public. Especially on the ever so busy main street!

"It has to be him! Gary had a knife wound to his chest! Poor dear, I wonder how his wife is holding up…"

"Isn't Camille expecting her fourth right now?"

"Yes she is, must be hard on the poor dear without Gary. We should go visit her, Monica,"

"Of course! I say we head over their right now to help out with her children. You know how wild those kids can get!" And with that, the two woman dash off to the newly widows house. What the two woman didn't realize was that a certain pair of ears was eavesdropping on their conversation.

In a renowned café on Main Street, very close to where the banter was held, was a State Alchemist having a rather large lunch with his companion. Half way into biting his sandwich, he stopped to listen to the two ladies and the rumor that has been going around. He has been hearing this particular one ever since he came into town that morning, waiting for the connecting train to get him back to Central. It was said that a sadistic man was living on Norcross Mountain, killing anyone that he's sees.

"Brother, it's not very polite to eavesdrop." His companion scolds him, barely fitting into the patio chairs set up outside of the café. His brother grunts at him before taking a bite out of his sandwich.

"I've been hearing that same rumor ever since we got here, Al. What if it's not a rumor?" Edward replies after swallowing, his appetite diminishing the more his thoughts turn to this topic. If there was a man out there in the mountain side, what would his reasons be for killing the townspeople? It's a pretty friendly community, and there's no real military groups that come this way. They're far from the border of Drachma, so they're sheltered from the conflict there. Then what is it?

"Should we call up the military to take a look around?" Al asks, shifting his armor to look at said mountainside. He could spot out the rocky area the woman were talking about. It was almost like a scar that ran vertically down the face of it, seeing the grey clashing with the green.

"We don't even know if this rumor's true. Let's take a look around for ourselves, then we can determine if we can catch him or if we do need to call them up for backup." Edward finishes up his sandwich in large bites, setting the money on the table before standing up.

"You just don't want to call Coronel Mustang to ask for help." Al says, a little too smug for Ed's tastes. Even if said boy flinches at his brothers words.

"Th-that's not the reason!" Edward stutters, his ears turning red. "C-come on, I want to look around before it gets dark," He struts down the street, heading for Norcross mountain in the near distance.

"Whatever you say," Al shrugs with an accomplished tone, grabbing his brother's suitcase and following after him.

(Bree's POV)

You know, with nothing to do but walk gives you a lot of time for thought to fly into your head. My head is too full of thoughts at the moment and I'm almost positive that it's going to explode any second. I'm almost begging myself to stop to do something else. Anything to get these thoughts out of my head.

I suspected it was around noon when I started walking, now I think it's sometime in the late afternoon. I haven't seen any opening in the tree's so that I could get a good look down the basin, and I'm too scared to climb one. I don't feel like I've moved much at all, and now my tongue is getting dry and obnoxious with how thirsty I was. I've seen a few streams, but I've learned my lesson to not drink mountain water without a purifier. Giardia is not a fun sickness to get.

Anyway, back on topic. Walking a long distance alone leads to thoughts you might not want to think about at the moment. For example, thinking about your parents and the idea that you may never see them again. Not fun to think about. Or being stuck in a world that will maybe be destroyed by homunculi in the near future. Also, not a fun one.

But there were more pleasant things to think about. Like fangirling a little bit at the real chance of meeting Edward and Alphonse Elric…maybe. There's also a real chance of not meeting them, which is a sobering thought. I've also been thinking about this new matter in my body, seeing that some of my noticeable veins now have a blackish tint to them. Hypothesizing that my blood could now be black, I immediately think of the zombies in World War Z. But I shake that ridiculous thought away, seeing that I'm not hungering for brains or anything.

But, that's not really important at the moment. The important thing is to find people, because where there is people there will be food. And right now I'm dying for some pineapple pizza. Which, by the way, does belong on pizza.

A flash of light brings me out of my food fantasizing, making me jump back. Looking to my right, I see a break in the trees. Without a second thought, I run over towards it at the thought of seeing the valley clearly. As I near the break, I see grey boulders and a lot of rocks. Looks like a land slide happened here a few years ago, seeing plant life growing in between the cracks. I scramble up a boulder and take my first real look at the valley.

The first thing that pops into my head is green. Everywhere I look, the earth is green save for the snow on the top of the mountains. Looking down the valley, I see something that almost makes me burst out into tears. A town! From where I was, it was maybe the size of my fist so that means I was maybe a few miles away. If I hurry, I could get into town before nightfall! All I have to do is follow this gorge down and badda bing, badda boom! I'm home free!

"Alright!" I fist bump the air above me. Grinning from ear to ear, I go to make my way off the boulder when something shines in my face again. Squinting, I look towards the artificial light.

In the cover of shadows at the tree's edge, I make out the silhouette of a man. It was hard to make out any distinguishable features, but the light was reflecting off of something in his hand. Maybe he's a hunter? Or a local? Either way, the aura he was giving off sends shivers down my spine. I smile awkwardly at him, and hurry off down the boulder.

"You're here to kill me, aren't you?" I hear him ask in a deep husky tone, perplexed by the question. Kill him? I don't even know this guy, much less want to kill him.

"E-excuse me?" I ask, stopping in my tracks. Ok, this is starting to get freaky. I should just turn the other cheek and head down as fast as I can.

"Just like those Ishvalan scum, you're here to silence old Benjamin Flakler. But that's not going to happen." He steps out from the shadows, revealing himself to me.

He was wearing a tattered and torn military uniform, most of the button missing and having old stains. It was an Amerstian uniform, also confirming that being in Amestris was a big possibility. His hair was unruly and dark, seeing the sheen of grease reflecting in the sun. And his eyes were bloodshot, wildly looking around and always landing back on me. He only had one shoe.

"Uh, sir, um I- I'm not here to…" I try to get out, slowly backing away from him. But with every step I take, he takes two more.

"They probably thought to send a helpless looking little girl, seeing the man yesterday failed at his mission. But they can't pull one over Ben," he chuckles, still looking at me with fever bright eyes. Sweat trickles down my temple, seeing Ben holding a few knifes in his hand. Probably for throwing. I have to get away from him, get to the town that will hopefully have police there or someone to help.

I turn suddenly, to bolt away from the man and down the rocky slope. But with just my luck, my foot slips on a loose foothold and gravity takes hold of me. I fall to the ground, catching myself on my hands as the rocks collide with my legs and hips painfully. Hearing moving rocks, I look up to see Ben lunge at me, knife in hand ready to dig itself into my skin and laughing like crazy. I do the first thing that comes to my mind.

I scream.

(3rd POV)

Edward and Alphonse were trudging up the mountain slope, Edward slouching as he climbed. The slope was making Ed's calf's hurt and was panting like a dog. The two have been walking for a few hours now, and they were just reaching their destination.

"Wow, this took longer than I thought it would," Al speaks his thoughts out loud, looking around himself. He was swept away in the beauty of the scenery, and wanted to drink all of it in before they have to get back on their train in the morning. And this is one of the few reasons why he kind of appreciated his armored body. He didn't get tired or out of breath when he did physical exercise. This allowed him to pay attention to things he couldn't if he was in a human body.

"Yeah," Ed grumbles, glancing at his younger brother who was looking around himself like a kid in a sweets shop. Even though Edward was the one to suggest this hike, he was now regretting it. _If this is just a crazy rumor, I'm going to be ticked._ He thinks, looking up the slope to see they were only a few yards away from their destination. "Hey there it is!" Ed points to the grey rocks, a small wave a relief washing over him.

"What do you want to do now Brother? The landslide covered a lot of area,"

"Let's find the spot where that guy was killed. Maybe we'll get some leads," Ed responds, reaching the rocky patch and starting to climb around the boulders.

"Sounds like a plan," Alphonse agrees as he follows his brother. It only takes them a few minutes to find the murder sight. It was hard to miss, considering how much blood has seeped into the rocks. To Edward, It looked like the victim was laying down when he was killed. There was no loose rocks or sharp edges that he could've died from, so the jabbering ladies where probably speaking the truth about the knife wound.

Ed was circling around the scene, trying to find any clues as to where the murderer went. Alphonse was farther ahead of him, Edward barley able to find his brother in the sea of grey. _Alphonse can take care of himself,_ Ed reassures himself, looking back to the crime scene.

"Brother!" Alphonse calls, making Ed jump. _Or maybe not._ Edward rushes towards Al's voice, hoping that nothing has happened to his little brother. But upon arrival, Alphonse was alright and Ed gives a small sigh of relief. "Look at what I found!" Edward looks at his brothers outstretch hands, looking at the object.

"A shoe?" Edward asks no one in particular, looking at the brown mass. You could barely call it a shoe anymore, seeing the sole flapping off at the bottom and all the tears in it.

"I found it wedge in between a few rocks, whoever owned this was trying to get away fast if they just left it behind." Al says, turning it over in his hands.

"Ok…" Edward wanted hard facts, not just presumptions. "Al, that shoe could've been here for years. I don't think it's going to help in-." Edward was cut off by a high pitch scream bouncing off the rocks, startling the brothers. It was a girl, a terrified one at that. And it was close. The brothers look at each other for a moment before nodding and running up the slope.

"Do you think it's the murderer?" Al asks, letting Ed run in front of him on the narrow pathways.

"Maybe!" Ed response, looking back at his brother while rounding a corner. Out of nowhere something slams into Ed hard, making him twist and fall. Alphonse, alarmed, slides to a stop and looks over to his fallen brother to see what had happened.

Laying side by side with Edwards arm draped over her waist, was a girl.

 **A/N: Sorry it took so long guys! It was kinda hard to figure out how I was going to introduce the Elric brothers. And Marching Band started up for me so I don't have much free time on my hands.**

 **But anyways, how is it? Did I portray the Elrics correctly? Its always scary for me to try to write someone else's fictional characters because I'm afraid that I'll do it wrong. Is this interesting in any way? I really wanted to try to come up with a small original plot/ storyline. It was really fun!**

 **Please comment something in the magical box below and have a great week this week with whatever you guys do with your lives! :)**


	3. Dream or Reality

**Authors Note: OH MY GEORGE GUYS WHAT'S UP?! I haven't posted in months goodness imma sorry! I got no excuse, send me to the gallows. But seriously I am sorry for not posting for a while. I didn't have much inspiration cause a lot of things have come up in my life. And yes, I do have a life outside of writing XD** **So anyway, can I get some serious feedback on this? Like did I get the Elrics right? (That's my biggest concern, OOCishness) Did you guys like my original small plot idea? Do you guys like Bree at all? Like is she too Mary-Sue ish? Please leave a review in the magical box below, I really appreciate it!** **Ok I'm going to shut up, please enjoy chapter 3 and PLEASE review :)**

(Bree's P.O.V)

The impact knocks the breath out of me and sends me toppling to the ground. My head bounces off the smooth rocks beneath me, making me take a dizzying moment to regain my bearings. Once I open my eyes I was assaulted with red. First, I thought it was my blood. My heart starts to race, because if that's my blood, there was a lot of it. And that was defiantly not good. But then it _moved_ , finally figuring it was cloth.

"Are you alright?" someone asks, but it sounded wrong. Liking someone was talking into a metal bowl or something to make its voice jumpy. Lifting my head, a grey blur was moving towards me and kneels down in front of the red bundle. I blink my blurriness away till I could see clearly.

I blink again.

And again.

All I could do is really stare at him, the pieces not fitting together in my mind. Because what was the possibilities of meeting Alphonse Elric? Wait a minute. If Alphonse is here, then…

"Yeah, I'm fine," someone grumbles close to my head. I look at the red bundle again, feeling the weight of something draped over my waist. Propping myself on my good arm, thanks to that crazy guy that slashed my other only a few minutes ago, the bundle crosses his legs while rubbing his head. He looks at me with those golden orbs, giving me a once over, then locks eyes with me.

"And you?" Edward Elric asks me. But I was completely speechless, looking between both brothers like they would suddenly vanish into smoke. Can this really be happening? The skeptic part of my brain was screaming yes, that they were just cosplayers or I was dreaming. But oh, I want to believe this is real.

(Alphonses P.O.V)

I stop for a moment to take her in. She was tall, taller than Ed with pretty hair in a ponytail. Although I can't tell if it was blond or brown. But she was wearing weird clothes that I've never seen before. A weird type of blue/white/grey shoes, a long sleeve black top with a racket design on the back, and the shortest black and orange shorts I have ever seen. Then, I notice one of her sleeves slightly sodden from something and how hard she was breathing.

Who is this girl? What is she doing up on the mountain? What happened to her to be breathing so hard? Was that a cut on her arm? And is she, not to be rude but, mentally ok? She hasn't said a word after Ed or I have asked her if she was alright. All she was doing was looking between us, green eyes wide and mouth partially opened in an O. Ed looks back at me with a questioning look, me replying with a shrug.

Maybe she's recognizes Ed, being a famous state alchemist and all. Or maybe she's confused about me being in armor. It wasn't an uncommon occurrence, but it was still just a tad bit strange. The clatter of rocks and loud breathing grabs my attention. And I barely had time to react as knifes rush towards the girl and Edward.

"Brother!" I exclaim, hurling myself in front of the two. The girl yelps in surprise, seeing Ed throwing himself over her. Knifes bounce off my body harmlessly, looking up for the next attack. A man flings himself pass the boulders. Noting his clothing and his stance, I knew he was a soldier. But the look in his eyes sent an uneasy feeling through me.

The man stops to look at us, then tosses his head back in laughter, clutching his stomach. Brother gets up to stand by me, sending me a look. _Be ready_. I slightly nod my head in return, glancing behind me. Edward had offer his coat the girl, who was staring at the man and shivering. Did he attack her? It would explain her soaked sleeve, must've taken a swipe at her with one of his knifes.

"Three against one?!" He screeches, whipping his head around as if he was trying to look at them all at once. His arms were up, ha

ving a knife in each hand. Brother and I slip into our stances, ready for his attack. He lunges.

(Bree's P.O.V) It was hard for my mind to keep up with what was happening. All I could do was sit there and watch the Elric brothers fight psychopathic Ben. I haven't had someone scare me so bad before, heck nobody has ever assaulted me before! All I could do was shiver at the lingering feeling of his knife slicing my arm practically open.

What brought me out of my thoughts was Edward, gosh it was so weird to call him that, clapping his hands together. Blue sparks fly around his automail arm as it transforms into a blade. Sure, I've seen him do that a thousand times on TV, but it's _very_ different in real life.

Like the fact that there was heat radiating off of the electrical sparks, a warm gentle pulse as if the sparks were Edwards heartbeat. And that buzz kind of sound they made? IT WAS LOUD! If I was in a rock concert right now, I probably wouldn't be able to hear the music. And the light was so bright, like I was trying to stare at the sun deciding if it was white or yellow.

It's a lot to take in, so let me see if I got this right. I went through the gate and met Truth. I've been thrown into Amestris to be greeted by some crazy ex-military psycho murderer. In the process of running away, somehow the Elric brothers magically appeared just when I needed them. And how long has it been, not even a day and all of this happens to me?

You know what, it's all good. I'm probably dreaming and soon I'm going to wake up. I'll go to school tomorrow and tell my best friends of this crazy dream. Then we'll laugh and talk nonsense about it and go get ice cream at lunch and it's all going to be good. I'm defiantly not freaking out or anything…

Oh who am I kidding, I'M FREAKING OUT!

Like c'mon! This can't be a dream, I'm flipping bleeding and it _hurts._ How the heck does this happen?! I'm one out of a million girls that this could've happened to, so why me? Why do I have to be sent here? Ask me if I wanted to go to Amestris yesterday, I would be on the bandwagon in a heartbeat. But now, after getting chased by this psycho and sustaining injury, I take it back. I take it ALL back.

Speaking of said injury, I look down at my arm and see the ripped sleeve. Teasing the rip apart and feeling the breeze licking the wound, I see a long gash across my bicep. A small amount of black liquid was oozing from several places but nothing that looks too serious, thank goodness. I feather my fingers over the gash, feeling a small sting but nothing more. I rub my fingers together, testing whatever came out of my body. What is this stuff? It couldn't be blood, could it?

Focusing back on the fight, Ed ducks from one of Ben's knifes only for Ben to whip around to kick him straight in the gut. Ed rolls a few times before coming to a stop, taking a moment for himself. Al replaces Ed, parrying Bens swipes and jabs. Lucky for him that he has a suit of armor on… but unlucky that he was big and slower. Ben's CRAZY fast with his moves, making it hard for Al to land a hit. Edward could match his speed, barley. Ben also has the advantage of years of military experience, seeing the way he's wielding those knives. The only reason I could pull that info out from a fight was way too many movies.

Finally, Ben ducks, grabs Al's leg and brings him down with a thunderous crash while Al gives a yelp in surprise.

Ben stands for a moment, catching his breath before turning his gaze to me. Fever crazy blue eyes lock onto mine, rooting me to the spot. My vision tunnels to his gaze, not having enough willpower to look away, to run, to do anything. All I could do was watch as those eyes got closer, their clarity becoming sharper to see those red veins in his whites. The realization that this guy was going to kill me crashes over my body like a riptide. I'm going to die. I'm going to die.

I'm going to die.

"Hey!" Edwards yell makes me focus back in, grounding me to reality. I rip my eyes away from those blue irises to golden ones. He was running towards me, his automail cocked back to strike. Ben looks behind him in time to receive a solid punch to the jaw, falling in my direction. Yelping, I scramble sideways and onto my feet, stumbling behind Ed who was eyeing Ben on the ground.

He was still breathing, but not the hypnotic rises and falls of breath but of erratic gasps. My legs were shaking so bad I thought I was going to fall, involuntarily wrapping Edwards jacket firmly around me for support. This is crazy, here I am hiding behind _Edward Elric._ I glance over to him, seeing his eyes narrow and his body stiff. He was ready to fight, poised and focus. It was still weird to think that he's the _REAL_ Edward Elric. At any point I'm still expecting for his wig to fly off and his homemade automail to rip like cardboard. But it hasn't, or not yet anyway.

I realized that he was looking at me a moment too late, tearing my eyes away in embarrassment. It's always awkward to be caught staring, especially from a girl to guy situation. But I couldn't resist looking back up to him to see his gaze still on me.

"What?" he asks, eyebrow raised and a small smirk on his face.

"I-uh… that is… um," I stutter, turning my gaze to the ground. Bens hand suddenly lashes out, something glinting towards me. There was no way for me to react, only to stand there with my thought being _what the-_

Then I was swept off my feet, cold metal encircling my torso and something crashes loudly near my head. I screech in panic, squeezing my eyes for a moment before opening them. Looking down at what grabbed me, everything clicked together as I realize it was Alphonse who grabbed me and that glint I saw earlier was a knife. Alphonse just saved me from being skewered.

"Are you alright?" he asks, his voice still throwing me off guard as he loosens his arms to let me slip to the ground. I look up to his…Should I call them eyes? I've heard people call them soul eyes but that's kinda creepy…Ugh, I'll just call them eyes.

"Y-Yeah, thank you," I say softly, noticing a slight scratch in his left arm. Probably from where the knife got him, which was probably that loud bang I heard after he grabbed me…

"Al!" Ed calls out, making us both whip around to his voice and seeing him engaged with Ben. And from the looks of it, he was having a hard time dodging him. "Take her somewhere safe!" Huh? Shouldn't Al be here to help him if he gets into trouble like a few minutes ago?

"Right," Al nods, scooping me up again with me squeaking. He starts jogging down the path with me in his arms, which I did NOT agree to.

"Wa-Wait!" I yell, trying not to bang my head against Al's weirdly shaped chest plate. I try grabbing onto something to ground myself, but his spikes on his shoulders were too far away and there's nothing to grab onto around his chest. So, I grip his gauntlet hands and prayed that I wouldn't get a concussion. I try to look back at Ed, but Al was so big I couldn't crane my head far enough back for a decent view. Finally, after a minutes jog Al sets me down gingerly.

"You sure you're ok?" he asks again, hearing a slight tone in his voice. Like a kid ready to leave to go home, anxious. Probably ready to go back to help Ed.

"Y-Yeah I'm fine," I nod in assurance. "B-But you need to go back, for Ed's sake." Al stares at me for an odd moment, for reasons I cannot fathom.

"Right, ok. But stay here until I came back," He nods his head and runs back from whence he came, leaving me in a pile of boulders in the setting sun.

(3rd P.O.V)

 _This guy's crazy_ , Ed thinks as he struggles to block his knifes. He was a good fighter, but it brings up the subject of how he got this way. What happened to him to spiral down to this state? There was a glint to his eyes that Edward has never really seen before, sending shivers up his spine. Edward knew the only way to find out was to get out of this encounter alive.

The man finally shoves Ed away from him, Edward smacking into a boulder so hard it made his teeth rattle and knocking the breath out of him. Looking up, Edward realizes his mistake as the man charges him with his knifes at the ready. Panic grips his heart as he puts up his right arm to block, only to see a suit of armor swooping in to kick the guy away.

"Brother! Are you alright?" Al asks, swiveling his helmet over to examine his brother.

"Yeah, I'm alright," His brother replies, lifting himself off the ground. "What about her?"

"She says she's fine…" Al replies, the brothers watching the ex-military man get up slowly from the ground. _At least she's ok_ , Edward thinks, having a few suspicions about her. He can question her after he deals with this guy.

"Who are you?" Edward demands, the man finally on his feet. "What did that girl do to you to injure her?" The man's shoulders start to shake, then he's chuckling. The brothers give each other an uneasy look, their postures stiff like a spring about to break.

"What did she do…?" He chuckles, putting a hand up to his face."You would know, since you were the ones that sent her."

"What are you talking about? We don't-"

"You know exactly what I'm talking about!" Ben cuts Ed off angrily, raising his voice. The brothers flinch at the sudden outburst, taking a step back to widen their stances.

"You were sent by themilitary! I can see your pocket watch easily _State Alchemist_!" he points at them accusingly, "I know all of your tricks, like sending a _helpless_ little girl after me. Ha!" he chuckles, suddenly sprinting to the right. "We'll see how helpless that girl is!"

"Hey!" Ed yells, taking off after him. "Let's go Al!" Edward calls for his brother, hearing heavy footfalls behind him. This guy was hard to follow, Edward soon found out, seeing that he could only catch glimpses of him as they ran. He was fast, and was getting closer to where Bree was located.

But Edward didn't know what to think about this girl. Her strange clothes, the weird look she gave them, even her demeanor was off. Something about her wasn't right. Edward wanted to find out more, but he couldn't really do that if she's dead.

Alphonse was thinking about how she looked at them. It's almost like…she knows them somehow. Of course, everyone at knew of the Fullmetal Alchemist and his kid brother. But people didn't look them like that when they see them. It was more like the eyes of a person who sees a childhood friend for the first time in years. Ed and Al didn't have that many friends while growing up and Al didn't recognize her in anyway. So what was with that look she gave them?

Meanwhile Bree was pacing about in her little territory, anxiety making her twitch about and worry her bottom lip. Should she just stay there like she was told? She did kind of wanted to sneak back and watch the Elrics fight up close and personal. But then again, this wasn't child's play or a TV show anymore. This was reality, not a dream. Her cut on her arm proves that, still feeling the wound throb with every heartbeat. But then again, if this was real, it's too coincidental for the brothers to show up right when she needs them.

It was still hard for her to comprehend that she was actually _here_ in _Amestris._ She could wake up any moment and it will all be just a bad dream. _Maybe I can't accept is because it's illogical to the human mind._ She thinks, coming to a stop. _Well, maybe not to my mind since we don't have any alchemy or believe in a being called Truth…_ But it's not like every day the people here get sent to another world. Or was it dimension? Bree didn't care, all she knew was that she was in a place that she didn't belong in. Which again brings up the topic of why Truth brought her here.

The scuffling of shoes running on rocks reaches her ears, making her look down the way Al went. Was that Ed? Should she run? Or should she stay? Peering around the edge down the path Al came, she saw no one. Concluding that she was just being paranoid with the situation she was dealing with, she dismisses the sound. Turning back to her inlet of rock, a shadow fell over her. She only had time to look up, and that was it.

She didn't have time to make a choice, because the choice was flying at her in the shape of a knife.


	4. Mind Games

**I'M NOT DEAD! George guys, I haven't updated this since September?! Man I'm horrible! But inspiration finally kicked in where I have finished chapter 4! Whoo-hoo! So anyway guys, I would love your thoughts on this in the magical box below! I have no idea if I'm doing a good job writing this thing.**

 **So anyway, please enjoy chapter 4 and hopefully the inspiration keeps coming to me!**

 **Disclaimer: Don't own FMAB or the book mentioned towards the end.**

(3rd POV)

Bree didn't have time to act, how could she? The knife only gave her a glint of light before it hits its target. It buries itself into her head, making her take a step back from the force behind it. She couldn't think, or feel anything other than shock. The world hazes over, swirling around itself as if it was fresh paint.

The Elric brothers arrive just in time to see the girl slump to the ground, the man jumping down from the boulders with a smile on his face. He yanks the blade out of her head, her body jerking in response.

"Ha!" He yells down at her, her body twitching slightly, and continues to howl obscurities down at her.

Something in Edward's guts twists at the sight, anger swelling inside of him. Without any warning, he rushes the man and swings his automail arm as hard as he could. The impact sends the man barreling into the ground, motionless but still alive. For some reason, Ed was breathing hard as if he just ran a few miles, and turns his eyes to the girl on the ground.

Laying like a broken doll in a forming puddle of black, you just knew that she was gone. Even if they had an alchemical doctor here, there would be nothing that he could do. Edward would know, studying some about human anatomy to perform his taboo. _But wait, why was it black and not red?_ It may look black with the lack of light, so Edward dismisses the thought.

 _This wasn't good. This was_ defiantly _not good_. Al thinks frantically, kneeling beside the girl and turning her over so that she was laying on her back. A blade had lodge in her forehead, just off center but now was a dark hole with some kinda black substance oozing from the wound. It was like black rivers was running down her face, trying to pick a direction to go. Her green eyes had dulled, but were wide open with shock. All Alphonse could do was stare down at her, his armor shuddering.

Al's whole world was crashing down at that moment. He didn't even know this girl, but they had failed her. She didn't look much older than they are and she had her whole life ahead her. This is the first death Alphonse has seen since his mother, even if he didn't know her he still taking it pretty hard. Over the years, he's learned that life is a precious thing from his experiences from the military. So when he hears, or in this case sees, life being taken it hits him.

And Edward knew that better than anyone. Alphonse was more in tune with his emotions, some would say he's very sensitive. Edward has a harder shell than Al, they've known that since they were little. But in some instances, like this one, that shell can be easily broken.

Edward curses under his breath, coming to stand alongside Al to stare down at the girl. He knew there was something he could've done to prevent this, to save this unknown girl. To ask her questions as to how she acted around them. But now, that thought was snuffed out. Edward was disappointed that he couldn't talk to her, but was more devastated that she's gone.

(Bree P.O.V)

The last thing I remembered was a horrible pain in my head, but now I was in some sort of void. And no, it wasn't Truths white void. This was darker, like I was inside of a cave. I couldn't really see anything beyond my hands, and trust me I tried.

I couldn't tell how much time had passed, but it seems like I'm stuck in here. Forever. And that gave me time to think. Like, this was a fun one, _was I dead?_ Cause I think Ben killed me with a knife to the head. I wasn't a hundred percent sure, but more like ninety-nine percent sure that's what happened. So this is what it's like to be dead? It's defiantly not what I expected. Cause what's the point of living if this was the end result?

A cold shiver runs down my spine, having the feeling that I was being watched. I spin around to see a…a what? Could I call it a person? It had an outline of a person, but that was it. Now it didn't look like Truth or anything. It reminded me of smoke, a wispy figure just kinda floating there. And what do I do? Nothing, absolutely nothing. Cause I didn't know if I was just seeing things, or if it was something that could potentially hurt me.

So we stand there, for again who knows how long, just staring at each other. I had no idea what to do, or what I could do to make the thing go away.

But then, the wisp lifts it arm towards me. I immediately stiffen, ready to run to who knows where. What was it doing? Was it going to hurt me? What was it anyway? I had a million questions fly through my head. But that all ended when white light shoots from its arm and hits me.

I start to scream.

(3rd P.O.V)

Ed puts a hand on Al's big shoulder. Even if he couldn't feel, it was still an automatic thing to do for Edward. He did it a lot when they were kids, so why stop just because his little brother couldn't feel it? But Al was shuddering under his automail hand, the soft sound of metal hitting metal. He knew he was taking this hard. Edward was too, but wasn't the one to show it so easily.

"Al…" He mutters, trying to get his brothers attention without being too harsh, "Al we need to take him to the police in town. So we gotta go," Al didn't answer right away, Ed figuring that he was trying to compose himself.

"Ok," Al finally whispers, slowly getting to his feet. He knew that he couldn't mourn this girl forever, that he'll have to move on from this. "But what about…her?"

Edward looks down at the girl's body, her eyes unsettling him. He's never really seen a dead body before. Well, one that he didn't know. He really had no idea what to do with her. Maybe she was a local? He didn't really want to break the news to anyone down there that someone they knew was dead. But, if it had to be done, it had to be done.

"I guess we take her down with us. She's probably a local and they'll give her a funeral service." Edward says, seeing a broken log down the path some and moves to it. Transmuting it into rope, he walks back over to the ex-military man and ties his hands behind his back, making sure there was no knifes in his reach.

"But…" Al trails off, making Ed look back at him in question, "I don't want to touch her…" Now this surprises Ed. But after some thought, he could justify Al's hesitance. Who would want to touch a dead body, it's kinda freaky to think about. Even if in the past Ed guilt tripped Al into doing stuff that he didn't want to do, he wouldn't on this one.

"Ok," Ed breaths, "I'll carry her." The thought of touching her wasn't a thrilling idea, but he'll do it for his brother.

"Thank you," Al sighs, clomping over to the guy that was still unconscious and slings him over his shoulder, being careful of his shoulder spikes.

Now it was Edwards turn. Looking down at the girl, he knew he had to close her eyes or else he's going to be freaked out by them the whole way down. Crouching beside her, he reaches out his hand towards her face.

There was a short popping sound that made Edwards hand stop. Then, crackling white light dances around her form, making Edward fall back on his butt and stifling a curse. Al must've dropped the man, hearing a thud from behind him

"Brother what did you do?!" Al yells at him.

"I didn't do anything!" Ed yells back, getting on his feet. The brother's watch in fascination as white light, no _lightning_ , dances about her form. _It looks a lot like alchemical sparks_ , Edward thinks as he tries to watch for a place where the sparks were concentrated, but found none.

"Brother…her forehead!" Al exclaims, Edward finally noticing but couldn't believe what he was seeing. That was virtually impossible cause no one even preformed an act of alchemy. They didn't do it, but someone had to. But there was no concentration of sparks anywhere except for around her body.

So how was the wound in her head closing?

That was where a cluster of sparks were, but that couldn't be where it was originating from. That would mean that it was coming from the inside of her body. Would that mean that she has an inner circle too? But he had to clap his hands together to create his inner circle, she hasn't moved. Cause ya know, SHE'S DEAD. So what was happening?

Anyway, even if her head is healed, she's still going to be dead. So what's the point?

After a moment, the sparks fade away. There was no trace of a head wound, even the blood somehow disappeared. The brothers look at each other quizzically. How are you supposed to react after seeing that? An uneasy silence fell over the brothers, who were staring at the girl.

The girl suddenly lets out a shrieking gasp, her eyes flying open. Al yelps and Ed jumps back in surprise, their heartrates reaching a million miles an hour. She continues coughing and gasping for air, the brothers quickly approaching and kneeling beside her with the same thought. _How is this possible?_

They saw her die, and now she has come back to life. The brothers couldn't wrap their heads around it. It was so controversial because they have attempted what they had just witness. But it didn't work. They saw the Truth and learned that people don't come back to life, EVER. That's what Edward told Rose a few days ago. But were they wrong? Was it still possible?

"Edward," Ed looks up to his brother, who he knew was giving him the look. _Save it for later_. He hums in response, looking down at the resurrected girl.

Her coughing had subsided into wheezes, eyes becoming restless under her eyelids as she lays there in the dirt. Al had taken upon himself to lift her head into his huge hands, making it easier for her to breathe. After a few moments, her eyes slowly open to bright green irises full of confusion.

"Hey," Al says softly to her, "Everything is going to be ok," Which Al didn't know if it was going to be true or not. His head was spinning with questions and theories of his own. But one thing he knew for certain, even not knowing how it was possible he was relieved to see her eyes open.

"I…" she wheezes, swallowing hard, "want to go home," Tears stream down her face because really, who wouldn't cry? She's been thrown into an alternate universe, died, then just came back to life. She was confused, scared and all she wanted to do was to run into her mom's arms because then she would know it was all just a bad dream. Of course, like any other fangirl, she had dreamt of coming to Amestris. Of meeting Edward and Alphonse Elric. Of going to adventures to save their world. But it wasn't all romance and funny scenarios she has read in fanfics, it was very real and very dangerous.

But Al didn't take it as Bree was thinking. _She must be lost._ Al concludes, seeing the whimpering girl in his hands. He could relate, wanting so many times to go back to his old house. To his mother's waiting arms that would never be again. That was home to him, and he never wants anyone to have their home ripped away from them like it was for him and his brother.

"Where's your home?" Ed asks, Bree not really recognizing who was speaking, her vision going cloudy and dark. She manages only to shake her head before everything goes black. Al starts to panic before Ed telling him she had only passed out.

"Now what do we do?" Al asks, still holding the girls head. Edward didn't really know that answer himself. He also didn't know what her shaking her head meant. Did she not hear him? Or was it an answer to his question? Either way, judging by her clothes, she didn't really scream Amestrian.

"Well…" Ed starts, standing back up. "We should take them both back down into town. I have some questions for her and we need to turn him in," Ed jabs a thumb behind him to the still unconscious man. "We'll discuss the rest on our way down."

The brothers turn the man into the police station, learning he was a deserter in the Ishvalan Civil War and that he went crazy because of all of the chaos. They were very grateful to the brothers for catching him finally and for bringing peace back into the small town but they waved off their praises, saying simply that it was their job as part of the military. The brothers decided not to mention the girl as they wanted to know more about her themselves. They hide the girl in Al's armor, getting a hotel room to wait for her to wake up.

"Now what brother?" Al asks as he closes the bedroom door, leaving it open a crack so that they could see her still. They hadn't taken off her clothes or anything, but wetting a cloth to get the most of the dirt off before tucking her in. By now, the street lamps where on to guide people through the darkness. It's been a long day for the both of them and Al knew that Ed was exhausted. Of course, Ed didn't show it.

"I was thinking that I'll ask around town about her, to see if she has any family here." Ed responds, flopping down on the couch. "But that can wait 'til morning." Al was glad to hear that his brother wasn't going to push himself, and grabs a book from Ed's suitcase.

"Ok," Al sits on the floor to read, but couldn't focus. He had so many questions flying around his head and not enough explanations. Same could be said for Ed, who appeared to be sleeping but he couldn't shut his mind off of it. Because everything they had worked for in the past, all those years of studying and failing that night, was just slammed back into their faces.

Here was this girl, who they had no idea who she was and wore strange clothes they have never seen, die and come back to life in a matter of maybe ten minutes. She had also gave them a strange look when she saw them, one that they can barely decipher but was even more confusing. So many questions that they wanted answers for at that moment, but would have to wait.

Edward was finally able to fall asleep, who knows how he will never know. But it was harder for Al who couldn't sleep. But he found that writing down his questions made the night more bearable and made time fly. Because before he knew it, the sun was poking through the curtains. He looks over to his brother to see his hand on his stomach, exposing his abdomen and snoring softly. Over the course of the night, he had reflected his life these past few years and how much has changed. But after all of that, some things will never change. And that made Al feel a little bit better.

And hour or so later, Edward wakes up with a jolt. Of course Al didn't see because he went out to buy something for breakfast which Ed was thankful for. He hated being weak around his younger brother, mostly because of his pride. But the dream he had…He could help but sit up and runs his hand down his face slowly as to whip the dream away from his memory.

Thinking about that night brings nightmares for him, especially after seeing that girl revive in front of them. His dream consisted of his mother of course, but she morphed slowly into that…that _thing._ After all these years, he still couldn't call it a human. Then it was moving towards him, pleading and screaming for him to save it. 

Determined to forget this dream, Ed gets up to get in the shower as if the water could wash all of this away. Before he did, he peeks into the room where the girl was still asleep, the blankets all crumpled up around her.

It was a weird thought for Ed to have, but he couldn't help thinking that he couldn't wait for her to wake up. Of course, it was only so that he could finally get some answers to all his questions. But none the less he groans, thinking how creepy and weird the thought was as he steps into the bathroom. Maybe the hot water would clear his head.

(Bree's P.O.V)

 _Two people were hunched over, starting at me. One was a woman, with soft brown eyes and auburn hair in a messy side braid. She smiles fondly down at me, reaching down to touch my face. The other one was a man with short brown hair and blue eyes. For some reason, I knew that usually his face was hard set, but here his eyes had a twinkle in them as he looked over to the woman._

They must be married _, I thought. But why are they looking at me like that? Who are they? This is a really weird dream… It is a dream, right?_

 _Two small hands appear in my line of vision, but where they came from had to be from me. Was I a baby? As if to prove my point, the woman took a hold of the hand which now I could tell was defiantly mine, and coos down at me. Out of my mouth came a gurgled laugh that confirmed that I was in fact an infant. Why the heck am I a baby? Who are these people? I've never seen them in my life and I know for a fact that they are not my parents._

 _But as quick as this dream appeared, it fades away like an old photograph. For some reason, I didn't want it to end. I want it to stay for a moment longer and I could feel a tear sliding down my cheek. What is wrong with me?! I didn't know these people, why am I so emotional? I was left in utter darkness, the only thing I could see was my hands outstretched. This was getting too weird._

 _Something cold slides down my spine, caressing each vertebrae. Spinning around quickly, I find that wisp of a person. I've seen it before, though I couldn't remember for the life of me. We stare at each other, or at least I think it was looking at me, for some time. Then slowly, something emerges from where its mouth would be, to see a Cheshire cat smile._

I wake up kinda in a frenzy, throwing blankets away from me and trying to sit up right. A small headache pushes at the back of my head and an exasperated sigh escapes my lips. It was dark, suggesting it was sometime in the night. The curtains were drawn at the window, but soft light came from the cracked door to my left.

Squinting and trying to focus through my groggy mind, I make out a small lamp and a couch in the other room but couldn't see anyone using it. My headache was starting to become something fierce and what do I do? I fall back to sleep cuddling the blankets for warmth. This time, I don't have any confusing dreams or anything. But the confusing part comes when I wake up to the sound of the shower running.

I'm not a morning person, it's really hard for me to actually get out of bed. But when someone wakes me up, I'm even more irritable. But once I look around the room, irritability becomes a soft spoken fear. _Where am I?_ This isn't my room. I could feel the springs of the mattress and scratchy blankets. Cream walls, a small night stand next to the bed, and a door I suspect lead to a closet on right with the curtain drawn window too. There was another door on my left that was cracked open for me to see a back of a couch.

 _Again, where am I?_ I have half the mind to get up to see what was in the other room and to maybe find out what was going on. But I didn't notice the shower turned off some time ago and hear the door opening close to my bedroom.

Fear squeezes my chest as I think of way to avoid conflict. I pretend to fall back to sleep, hoping the person getting out didn't notice me. I didn't dare face the door as I tried to steady my breathing. In all honesty, I was freaking out. Waking up in a strange bedroom and hearing someone come out of the shower reminded me a little too much of the movie _13 Going On 30._

There was defiantly someone looking at me, you just get this feeling on the back of your neck. I couldn't help but hold my breath and crush my eyes shut, praying for the person to leave. Now, if he/she came into the room I didn't know what to do. But one step at a time.

They mutter something, still not knowing if it was male or female, but heard another door close none the less. I wait a few moments longer, just to make sure they weren't coming back. I let out a huge breath that I couldn't hold any longer, quickly throwing the blankets off to see thankfully that I had my same clothes on.

But how did I get here? I remember being completely lost in the forest after seeing truth, which I have become accustomed to thinking about and not freaking out. Hours later I saw the town and met that psycho, Ben something-or-another. But how did I get out of that predicament? Seems like I've been retelling myself what has happened to me now a days, and I'm not liking it. I sit there for a few more minutes trying to paint a canvas that has been bleached white.

Maybe there's a clue or something to tell me what the heck is going on. Jumping off, I creep to the door and put my eye to the crack. Couch, lamp, and a small kitchen off the left. To the right was the bathroom door that was open and a suitcase with a book next to it. I walk around to the door, to see if there might be a peep hole or something to look outside. No such luck, but when I turn around I was speechless. Because there, lying on the couch was a coat. A coat that I've seen many times on the TV screen.

It was Edward Elrics signature red coat. Briskly, I touch it just to see if it was real. The fabric was stiff on the outside, but softer on the inside. The hem and sleeves were slightly frayed with use, and to be honest it didn't smell too good either. Flashes of Edward fight Ben with Al run through my mind, finally remembering what happened last night. Or I think it was last night. Edward and Alphonse Elric saved my life.

I couldn't help my plop down on the couch with the new discovery, not really believing what I was seeing. Ok, let's be rational here. There's no way a TV series could suddenly become reality, especially to a viewer like myself. This story was made up in a room where Hiromu Arakawa with a pencil and paper. There's no way she was drawing about a REAL world.

Maybe I just need to stop thinking about it so hard. Because there's only one way to find out if this is real or not. I gotta see if Alphonse was empty because if he was, how else were you to explain it other than this being real? So that person in the shower had to been Edward Elric, which I had claimed him as my fictional boyfriend before finding out that this world exists. Which, by the way, he's never going to find out.

And at that moment, my stomach decided to sound like a dying whale.

"Oh shut up," I glare down at it, walking over to the small kitchen. Opening pantries and cupboards didn't help me in my search for food and I let out a frustrated sigh. I mean, I could just leave in theory. But that wouldn't really get me anywhere. I didn't have any money to buy anything.

Looking out the large window that took up most of the wall in the kitchen, I see a flurry of activity in the street below. Some people have stalls lining the street selling their merchandise, there was even a flower stall on the other side of the street. I must be one the second floor, cause I could also see that this small little town was surrounded by mountains. It was a beautiful day outside that I couldn't help but smile at it for a few minutes without thinking about anything.

I look back over to the book by the suitcase, not being able to read the cover from this far away and saunter over to it. I've always been fond of books, my parents read to me religiously every night when I was really young. Books had always been my escape and something to ease my mind during troubled times. So I guess seeing a book in a confusing situation such as this gave me solace.

Gently picking up the red leather bound book, the cover read _Alchemy: Rosicrucian Digest_. Curious, I open up to a random page. Most of the pages corners have been folded over in time and have been starting to yellow. This makes my heart throb, seeing someone carelessly handling their book. To me it's a sin to mark your place with a downward corner, showing that you have no respect for the writings inside. Maybe I'm a little dramatic, but books are so precious to me that I can't help it. I don't even let people borrow my books, and yes I admit I'm a little stingy.

I skim over the pages, not really seeing anything interesting. Just a bunch of formulas, explanations, and instructions. It almost reminded me of a chemistry book. I decided to read the first few paragraphs on the first page, one section catching my eye and I was lost to the world for a few minutes.

 _"_ _Whatever the cause or whatever its effects may be, a tremendous responsibility is connected with it. He who has read about the lives of the Alchemists has found that most often many years had to elapse before their goal was reached. Many had to await another incarnation before they proved themselves worthy and ready to receive it. But, if all doubts are put aside and if a firm Belief has grown into a strong Faith, then that quickening moment that produces knowledge will eventually help one to come to 'Understand', to 'Realize' the oneness of the universe, the secret behind Creation and the unfolding of cosmic consciousness."_

It was like the author was giving a motivational speech about not getting discouraged if you don't succeed for a while. But what I found interesting was that the words Faith and Belief were capitalized in context. In the TV show, which was really my only knowledge of Alchemy, they don't really believe in those concepts because I guess it's too religious for them. They were guys of scientific fact, and even Edward told Rose in the first episode of the whole stinking series that they don't believe in God. So for me, it was interesting that this author almost highlighted these words in a scientific book.

A large hand grasp my shoulder, startling me so much I let out a airy scream and spin around to whack the person. My hand hits something made out of metal and a loud bang echoes in the room followed by a series of small clatters. A slight pain erupts on my hand, making me wince a little bit. Realizing I had closed my eyes, I open them to see a headless Alphonse Elric with his head on the floor.

"Um, hello"


End file.
